Reusable nesting shipping container



w. L. STENSGAABD REUSABLE NES'I'ING SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Oct. 6, 1945 m my j.

. EEUSABLE STING 1 William L. Stem, Chicago, W. L. Stensgaard d iates poration oi Illinois 1r COM I m, alg r Ina, a cam Application (icto 6, 1943, Serial No. 505,099

This invention relates to a container, and more particularly to a reusable shipping container.

One feature of this invention is that it pro-'- vides an improved container or carton; another feature of this invention is that the main body of the container may be used again and again; still another feature of this invention is that a complete container, as for example of cubical shape, is formed oi only two principal portions and means for holding these portions in desired relationship; yet another feature ofthis invention is that the principal portions of which the container is formed are so shaped that large numbers of such portions may be nested in a.

' tape broken away better to show a way in which the cord or other flexible tying element'ls passed through openings in the edge of the U-shaped members; Figure 3 is a view of the U-shaped members of two containers nested for return to the original shipping point; and Figure d is a cross sectional view of a container made of four li -shaped members so that each wall is of double thickness. 4

Crates, cartons, chests, and a number of other containers are used for the shipment of goods, but all of these present certain problems in economical re-use of the principal parts of the container. l have devised an improved reusable ship ing container which consists of two principal substantially rigid U-shaped members adapted to be intermeshed with their planes at right angles to provide the container and adapted to be nested for return to the original shipping point. The finished container is very rugged and meets all shipping requirements; yet it may be easily put together and taken apart, and the only things which need to be renewed are thetying cords and paper tape.

In the particular embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figure 1 there are a of. substantially rigid U-shaped members l0 and il.-- I These are made of or formed from substantially nlike. The sheet from which the U-shaped member is formed would, in the case of a cubical con tainer, have a length three times its width; and it would be steam-formed or otherwise shaped to the desired U-shape illustrated, so that the resultant U-shaped member would be substantially rigid and would remain in that form. The sheet material would normally be from to to of an inch thick, depending upon the size of the desired finished container, which might be a relativelysmall cube or a cubical or other rectangular container of dimensions running up to several ieet.

As may be best seen in Figure 1, the plane of the member it ing with respect to the plane in which it presents a U-shaped appearance) is at right angles to that of the member -i i. so'that when they are moved together theyv and Ma shown in Figure 2. After the members havebeen assembled around the goods to be shipped in the container, they are held together in cooperative relation in'any desired manner. In the embodiment shown, cords it are laced through the cooperating holes to firmly hold the members together; and then a flexible adhesive tape, as the paper tape it, is placed around all of the adjacent edges to completely seal the container and prevent any possibility of loss of its contents.

When the container has reached the delivery point, it is only necessary to cut the tape and cord to separate the two members, whereupon the merchandise is readily accessible. After the merchandise and any packing therearound has been removed the members may be nested as in Figure 3, where the members ill and II and two other similar members are nested for return tothe original shipping point. It will be understood that a large number of these'members may be piled oneach other in'a relatively small space with only such distortion of their shape as is within the elastic limits of the plywood or similar substantially rigid material of which the 'members are made.

Where the-merchandise is particularly fragile,

rigid sheet material, as plywood, Masonite, or"the;.'55f an even stronger container can be made by first making a container as shown in Figure 2, and then intermeshing two other members around the members It and II are intermeshed'around the' inner members II and 11. Where sucha double thickness container is desired it is prei'erableto have, one set of members formed into a slightly larger U-shape than the others; although the,

members generally have enough give that such a container can be formed of the same size members it they are forced into position.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of myinvention, it is .to'be'umierstood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and ar-- rangement may be made without departing irom the spirit and scope of the'invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

\ I claim: v I

1. A reusable merchandise container of approximately cubical shape, formed of only two principal parts which for return after reuse may be nested together along withother similar parts, comprising: a pair of substantially rigid U-shaped members of sheet material such as plywood. Masonite, and the like, each of said members before being formed into -U-shape having a length several times its width and each after being formed into U-shape having an end section and a pair of substantially parallel wing sections integrally connected to the end section, said sections being substantially rigid with only a slight flexibility at their connecting Joints, each of said wings along their three exposed edges being tree'oi any lateral projections and separable from the corre- 4 spending edges oi the mating member to enable reuse, said members in use being intermeshed with the side sections of one member occupying planes at right angles to the planes of the side 5 sections of the other member; the edges or the wing sections having apertures for receiving securing cords; cords passed through said apertures and. extended around the container and'tied with the cords extending substantially medially of each side of each member; and flexible adhesive tape overlying and secured to the adjacent edges of the sections.

, 2. A shipping container as claimed in claim 1, including an additional pair of similar members adapted to surround the 'flrst pair; and means for releasably maintaining said additional mem "bers in intermeshed relationship.

WILLIAM L. BTENSGAABD.

REFERENCES crrnp The .i'o'llowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,908,669 Thomas, Jr May 2, 1933 1,497,713 Crowell June 1'7, 1924' 1,495,669 Burkhoider May 27, 1924 1,088,383 7 Veeder Feb. 24, 1914 1,099,104 Surmann June 2, 1914 505,253 Sanborn Sept. 19, 1893 409,039 Hiiiman Aug. 13, 1889 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,456 Great Britain Oct. 28, 1913 526,939 France Nov. 6, 1920 1,859 Great Britain 1865 

